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Updates and news for the week of October 31 – November 6, 2023
The UTC Campus Weekly newsletter is distributed every Tuesday morning. If you have news, events or announcements you would like shared with campus, please submit your information to chuck-wasserstrom@utc.edu in the Division of Communications and Marketing by 3 p.m. on Friday for placement in the following Tuesday’s newsletter.
Let the Ghoul Times Roll
Happy Halloween! Stop by the UTC Library today—where they put the “BOO” in books—for some Halloween fun. Students, staff and faculty are invited to enjoy costumes, candy, games, buttons, food, prizes and more.
From 1-3 p.m., students in costume should stop by the first floor of the library and pose for a photo. Photos will be uploaded to Facebook and the top three student costumes will win $50, $25 and $15 Starbucks gift cards. Check out MocSync for more details about the Annual Costume Contest, including costume inspiration links from the ghost of past Facebook photo galleries.
Don’t want to dress up? No problem—you can still participate in the Library’s Open House showcasing the best services and materials to save you from everyday horrors. Learn more about how the Library’s materials and services can save you from common college nightmares. As a bonus, all attendees can register to win door prizes.
UTC Student Lens Halloween Edition: Ghost Tracks
On an unsettling pursuit for the supernatural, guests of Chattanooga’s Ghost Tours are provided all the necessary ghost-hunting equipment for a chilling haunt. Parapsychological field investigator Alice Stephens educates their visitors on Chattanooga’s rich and eerie history while providing an interactive spiritual experience.
Click here to see Rising Rock’s Ghost Tracks, filmed and edited by Allie English and Taylor Carmody, written by Sarah Chesek and narrated by Noah Fernandez.
- Rising Rock features student-developed non-fiction stories about greater Chattanooga. The site is a combined effort of the Department of Communication and UTC student media—including The Echo (student newspaper), MocsNews (student video news program) and The Perch (student digital radio station).
The Power C Tour Heads to the UC
If a family member, friend or neighbor is starting to think about college, let them know about a couple of upcoming large-scale recruiting events taking place at the University Center.
The Power C Tour, a statewide outreach effort to prospective students on academic programs, admissions, housing, financial aid and campus life at UTC, takes place from 6-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8—giving high school students, transfers, graduate students and their families a feel for UTC. Representatives from the academic colleges, student services, the UTC Executive Leadership Team—and Scrappy—will be on hand to answer questions and make connections in a friendly, relaxed environment. Visit utc.edu/roadtrip for registration information.
On Saturday, Nov. 11, the Undergraduate Admissions Office will host its annual Blue and Gold Preview Day for prospective students and their families. The event includes a campus tour, an academic department fair, a student organization showcase and a residence hall open house. Click here to register for Blue and Gold Preview Day.
Submit Your Events for the Winter Welcome Calendar
The Office of Student and Family Engagement is starting to plan spring 2024 Winter Welcome Week activities.
During the first week of classes (Jan. 8-12), we hope to offer a variety of programs across campus and within different offices. If you are hosting an event or program, please consider submitting your event to the official Winter Welcome calendar found on the Winter Welcome website.
Email kidron-bullock@utc.edu with questions.
University Health Services Sports New Look
Thanks to a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with the Tennessee Department of Health, University Health Services has updated its clinic.
The waiting room furniture has been replaced with chairs which have antimicrobial coverings. Exam rooms have been updated and have non-porous countertops, touchless faucets, soap dispensers and paper towel holders and new cabinets.
While UHS is seeing fewer cases of COVID, please stay vigilant. COVID is still in the area, along with the flu. Click here to learn more.
The outstanding people of UTC
 The UTC NAACP executive board includes: Bottom row, from left, Samara Graves, Sierra Mitchell, Sydney Jones, Amani Reid, Trinity Carroll and Nia Hardin. Top row, from left, Camryn Ellis, Dominique Harris, Nia-Grace Sharp, Kaiya Walls, Shakara Pankey, Alivia Lacy and Christiana Appling. The UTC National Association for the Advancement of Colored People student chapter has been selected for the 2023 Viola Mapp Membership Ruby Hurley Image Award from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County NAACP.
The Ruby Hurley Image Awards highlight those who work to build a viable community and serve as ambassadors from the local community. This year’s awards presentation will take place on Thursday (Nov. 2) at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
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Check out these Mocs making a difference:
Mark your calendar
Information sessions are taking place for spring 2024 and summer 2024 faculty-led study abroad courses. The courses, led by Gary W. Rollins College of Business faculty members, have no prerequisites, include two-week international study trips and are open to all UTC students.
This week’s information sessions:
- Today (Oct. 31): Balkans (Albania, Greece and North Macedonia), Zoom, noon
- Wednesday (Nov. 1): South Korea, Fletcher Hall Room 109 or Zoom, 2 p.m.
- Thursday (Nov. 2): Germany, Fletcher Hall Room 109, noon
- Friday (Nov. 3): South Korea, Zoom, noon
Students earn three credit hours on the undergraduate level (MGT 4950) or graduate level (MGT 5950). For more information, contact COBInternational@utc.edu or visit COB International Programs.
All UTC students, faculty, staff and members of the Chattanooga business community are invited to join the Gary W. Rollins College of Business for the 2023 Entrepreneurship Breakfast from 7:30-9 a.m. on Wednesday (Nov. 1) in the University Center Tennessee Room. Breakfast will be available starting at 7:30 a.m. and the program will begin around 8 a.m.
The event is free, but registration is requested. Learn more and register here.
The event speaker is Tasia Malakasis, chief executive officer of The Company Lab (CO.LAB) and serial entrepreneur. Click here to learn her story.
“Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century,” edited by Alice Wong, was selected as the Read to Achieve text for 2023-2024. “Disability Visibility,” a collective anthology of short essays, interview transcripts, articles, blog posts and creative prose, introduces UTC students to conversations in and around disability representation.
In celebration of that book selection, Haben Girma—a human rights lawyer advancing disability justice, the first deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law School and contributor to “Disability Visibility”—has been invited to UTC to share her story. Girma, named a White House Champion of Change by President Obama and the recipient of a Helen Keller Achievement Award, will speak at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday (Nov. 2) in the University Center Tennessee Room. Her lecture is open to all.
Girma’s visit to UTC is sponsored by Student Success Programs, Department of English, Disability Resource Center, Department of Political Science and Public Service, Division of Access and Engagement, Honors College and Walker Center for Teaching and Learning.
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The Department of Chemistry and Physics continues its seminar series from 3-4 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 3) in Grote Hall Room 411 with a talk by Dr. John Katsaras titled “Biological Membranes – Overview and Recent Developments as Platforms for Biological Memory.” All are invited to attend.
Katsaras works in the Neutron Scattering Division and Shull Wollan Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
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In his documentary “Beautiful Faces,” 2012 UTC alum Dagan Beckett explores the journeys three young patients, their parents and local surgeon Dr. Larry Sargent took through multiple plastic surgeries to address their medical problems.
The Chattanooga premiere of “Beautiful Faces” takes place at 7 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 3) in the Fine Arts Center’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall. The film screening will be followed by a Q&A with the cast and filmmakers. Admission is free for students and $5 for non-students, but registration is required. Click here for the registration link.
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The Tasty Tidbit Leadership Lunch Series, open to UTC students, faculty and staff, continues from noon-1 p.m. Monday (Nov. 6) with a University Center Chattanooga Room C session titled “What Is Servant Leadership Anyway? A Discussion with Ken Jones.” A light lunch will be provided.
Click here to RSVP. Email Daniel-Grzesik@utc.edu, the director of Leadership Development and Programs, to learn more about the Tasty Tidbit series.
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With the basketball season starting on Monday (Nov. 6), a reminder that single-game tickets for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams are now available. Single-game ticket options begin at just $10 (general admission) for the women’s slate and $12 (200 level baseline) on the men’s side. Click here to learn more and to buy tickets.
On Monday, the women take on King University at 11 a.m. at McKenzie Arena, and the men face Covenant College at 7 p.m.
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The UTC Department of Political Science and Public Service will be hosting a November PSPS Sweet Research series, where PSPS faculty share their research and favorite desserts. Everyone is welcome to bring a lunch. All Sweet Research events take place from noon-12:50 p.m. in the 540 McCallie Building Room 462D. Upcoming events include:
- Wednesday, Nov. 8: Dr. Chris Acuff, “A Bibliometric Analysis of Urban Greenway Literature: Implications for Interdisciplinary Research on Urban Systems”
- Wednesday, Nov. 15: Dr. RJ Groh, “Diaspora Reimagined: Understanding the Generational Component to Victim Diaspora”
- Wednesday, Nov. 29: Dr. Michelle Deardorff, “Rethinking Political Science Education: American Political Science Association’s Presidential Taskforce Preliminary Report”
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On Friday, Nov. 10, the UTC Criminal Justice students and University High students will come together to launch “Pouring for Purpose: Building Pathways to Ethics and Equity,” a gallery and partner-building event taking place from 1-3 p.m. at the UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center.
The pour-painting event was organized by UTC Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Katelyn Hancock, who said representatives from various criminal justice and social service organizations in the Chattanooga community will be on hand to create their own unique canvas paintings.
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 Dr. Katsuya Yuasa and Dr. Ayça Çetin Duo Esplanade, a dynamic ensemble comprised of Dr. Ayça Çetin on flute and Dr. Katsuya Yuasa on clarinet, will perform at the Cadek Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 10. The free concert is open to the public.
Çetin is a visiting lecturer of music theory, teaching musicianship and aural skills at UTC. Yuasa is a UTC adjunct instructor of applied clarinet.
“The audience will be treated to a smorgasbord of sounds, techniques and styles, making for an exciting evening,” said Dr. Jonathan McNair, the Ruth S. Holmberg Professor of American Music.
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The UTC Symphony Orchestra and the Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts String Orchestra will present a free public concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12, in the Fine Arts Center’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall.
The performance will include “Carmen Suites 1 and 2” by Georges Bizet and “Tragic Overture” by Johannes Brahms.
The CCA String Orchestra, which contains students from grades 8-12, will perform selections from “Bach and Roll,” including “Brandenburg Concerto No. 3” by Johann Sebastian Bach and “Brandenburg” by Black Violin.
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A darkly comic Southern drama about love, art and the power of women will soon be coming to the Fine Arts Center’s Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre stage. The UTC Theatre Co. continues its 2023-2024 season with “Alabaster,” written by award-winning playwright and Alabama native Audrey Cefaly.
Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 14-18, with a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday, Nov. 18. Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here and through the UTC Box Office—in person or by phone (423-425-4369). Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students (with proof of student ID) and seniors.
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Please join UTC’s Interdisciplinary Geospatial Technologies Lab (IGTLab) for GIS Day on Wednesday, Nov. 15—a day for users of GIS technology to demonstrate real-world applications that are making a difference in our society.
GIS Day will take place from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Multidisciplinary Research Building, including a workshop and special guest Sunny Fleming—a UTC alum and environment lead at Esri. This event is open to all UTC students, faculty and staff and the general public. To learn more, click here.
Please RSVP here so the IGTLab knows how many visitors to expect.
Notice of Final Defense: Upcoming Research Presentations
The UTC Graduate School announced that the following students will be presenting their final works of research as advanced degree candidates. Everyone is invited to attend.
Campus Updates
Math Kangaroo, an international mathematics competition, is returning to UTC.
Math Kangaroo 2024, open to students in grades 1-12, will be held at UTC at 5:30 p.m. on March 21, 2024. Information about the competition and registration can be found on the Math Kangaroo website.
The deadline for registration is Dec. 15. The registration fee is $21 per student, and financial assistance is available.
Please share this message and the event PDF with anyone who might be interested in participating. For more information, click here.
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The Information Technology Department wants everyone to be cybersecurity-aware. Here are some helpful resources for keeping yourself safe from phishing emails, scams and other security risks:
Ever wonder why you have to deal with an extra step to get into your account? We promise it’s not to make your life harder. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is meant to provide extra protection for your account. For more information on the benefits of 2FA, visit our 2FA page.
Email ithelp@utc.edu or call 423-425-4000 if you are suspicious of something on your computer or phone.
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The Vice Chancellor for Research and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) are planning to support a site visit and networking opportunities with researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute. We are seeking to gather information about faculty interests and preferences to help us plan for the visit and other potential activities in 2024.
Any UTC faculty member or researcher is eligible to participate. Please take a few moments to complete the brief survey here to help us schedule activities of interest to you.
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Injured in intramurals? Tweaked something in the gym? Back and neck soreness from hours of studying? Just need guidance getting back to your favorite activities? Check out UTC’s free physical therapy clinic.
The Pro Bono Physical Therapy clinic, a part of University Health Services, is staffed by UTC Doctor of Physical Therapy students and professors and is 100% free. Clinic hours are 8 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays and 1-5 p.m. on Thursdays. Call University Health Services at 423-425-2266 or email ptclinic@utc.edu for more information.
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It’s never too early to think about summer camp! Mocs basketball is hosting a kids camp for girls and boys ages 7-14 on June 24-27, 2024. Camp sessions will run from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily.
The cost is $260, including T-shirt and meals, and discounts are available for early bird signups, siblings and UTC employees. To register, visit chattanoogawomensbasketballcamps.com.
For questions, email tyler-r-clark@utc.edu.
Looking ahead
 Senior Paul Conroy, left, earned his second career win at the Furman Intercollegiate (photo credit: Furman Communications) This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:
- Saturday (Nov. 4): Football vs. Furman, Finley Stadium, 1:30 p.m.
- Monday (Nov. 6): Women’s basketball vs. King University, McKenzie Arena, 11 a.m.
- Monday (Nov. 6): Men’s basketball vs. Covenant College, McKenzie Arena, 7 p.m.
Looking back
The School of Nursing’s long-held dream of a new building has received the funding needed to become a reality. The Dorothy and Jim Kennedy Health Sciences Building will be the new home of the UTC School of Nursing thanks to an $8 million gift from the Kennedy Foundation, Inc.
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 Students in Monica Miles’ Ecology Laboratory 3070 class learned how to use GIS to locate and tag invasive species at Reflection Riding. Earlier this year, Monica Miles, an associate lecturer in the Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science, attended a workshop about geographic information systems (GIS)—a system that creates, manages, analyzes and maps all types of data.
The workshop, put on by the UTC Interdisciplinary Geospatial Technology Lab, made Miles think about ways to introduce GIS to her students.
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Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:
Tales from the UTC PodLab
 Briana Phillips and Alyssa Chase “Tennessee Valley Across the Table” is a student-led podcast that brings locals, often strangers with different views, together to learn who we are as people. It is inspired by StoryCorps’ One Small Step program.
In 2022, community members came to the UTC PodLab and opened their lives with stories about their families, their politics and their hopes for the future. This year, UTC Honors students, under the direction of Will Davis, studied the recordings and chose the material that most resonated with them. This episode by UTC biology student Grace Tang features a conversation between Briana Phillips and Alyssa Chase.
You can subscribe to “Tennessee Valley Across the Table” on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
WUTC Spotlight: Beautiful Faces
“Beautiful Faces” is a new documentary that explores the extraordinary work of a surgeon here in Chattanooga through the journey of three of his patients and their families. On Friday (Nov. 3), the documentary will be screened for its Chattanooga premiere at 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall, followed by a Q&A.
A recent segment on WUTC-FM’s Scenic Roots featured filmmaker and UTC alum Dagan Beckett and producer Irv Berner.
It wouldn’t be Halloween without a bloody good story
Earlier this semester, Biological Anthropology Lecturer Derek Boyd’s class participated in a forensic science blood spatter activity.
(Spring Ahead) Fall Behind
Daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m local time on Sunday (Nov. 5). If you are manually setting watches or clocks, don’t forget to move them BACK one hour.
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